Good morning all. 

I'll warn you up front that any of my posts will be the literary equivalent of my first attempts at clipping in.  Clumsy, embarrassing, painful.  But alas so is most of my biking.  None the less it seems the EMAG could use a little content and as everyone else's brain is momentarily blank from glycogen deprivation I will chime in.

One of the things I love about riding are the strange things that happen at times.  That basket of rarities you think about during down time at work.  The roosted turkeys flying down over our head that morning on Ober road.  Flying through the herd of deer on Bliss road.  Suicidal groundhogs, ect.

But recently my younger brother told me a cycling story I can't get out of my head.  He was ready to put on some early season miles preparing for the Iowa gravel road classic series.  Fueled by the purchase of a new cyclocross bike he committed to a grueling circuit of local Iowa dirt roads.  If any one can savor scenic hilly roads it is someone from Kossuth county as any topography  or tree is something to hold dear.

During the first ascent, while taking advantage of the full complement of gears, he caught a rocketing figure out of the corner of his eye.  It was a brown heat seeking missile aimed at his back tire and despite the fear any herding dog can elicit in a cyclist the combination of grade and pasty gravel suggested escape was futile. 

As the town's local dog catcher Josh has seen dogs at their best and worst and is well prepared.  But as the dog of death approached he realized the presence of a kindred spirit and decided to come along for the ride.  After the first seven mile circuit his buddy ran back to the porch and took a nap.  But on the second lap he joined back in again......and the third...and the fourth.  In fact the dog wouldn't stop.

Josh tried attacking on a different hill but the dog easily closed the gap.  Sprints past the local bridge didn't slow him down.  The dog was like a furry Thomas Voekler that just wouldn't quit. 

 

But alas the dog showed weakness in one aspect a bike racer does not....compassion.  Every time they road by the farmstead on the opposite side of the circuit two other farm dogs would waddle out to bark at Josh.  But the shepherd would run ahead into the yard and bark down the other two dogs to keep them in their place.  The last loop past Josh sprinted off as the shepherd blocked the other dogs from joining and finally left his pal in the dust.

Later in the evening while stepping out of the shower Josh heard his phone ring.  His wife handed it to him and a local farmer spoke.  "Say your the dog catcher right?"

"Yes" Josh says, "how can I help you"

"Well, I have this dog laying in my front yard.  He doesn't look hurt but I'll be damned if I can get him to move.  He's laying under my shade tree and my dogs keep barking at him."

"Is he a brown shepherd" Josh asked.

"Well Heck, how did you know that?" The farmer says.

"I'll be right there to pick him up" Josh says as he hangs up the phone, yet to receive directions from the farmer.

Although I don't believe in reincarnation I can't help but think that dog has a cyclists heart.  And having been dropped in many a group ride I can definitely appreciate how happy he must have been to get a ride home from  a friend.